Solar geoengineering: Expert testimonies urge global ban

 Solar geoengineering, or SRM, has been proposed as a potential method to mitigate the effects of climate change. However, the risks and uncertainties associated with these technologies have sparked intense debate among scientists, policymakers and environmentalists. This article delves into the currents of disagreement and offers an in-depth analysis of expert testimonies presented before the U.S. Congress. It explores the motivations behind calls for global bans, the potential environmental impacts and contrasting views on whether further research should be pursued, while also questioning the foundational premise of human-caused climate change. 

On September 16, Roger Pielke Jr., a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, testified before the subcommittee, urging the United States to lead an international effort to prohibit solar geoengineering. "We have one Earth, and experimenting on it carries considerable risks," Pielke emphasized, likening such endeavors to "risky gain-of-function research on viruses with uncertain benefits and catastrophic risks." Pielke was supported by over 500 scientists and academics who signed an open letter in January, advocating for a formal international prohibition on these technologies. They argued that no outdoor experimentation should be conducted until rigorous scientific testing and monitoring systems are in place. This call for a ban highlights the significant uncertainties surrounding not only the efficacy of geoengineering but also the assumed anthropogenic cause of climate change....<<<Read More>>>...